Meet our head chef

At a young age, Chef Ho knew he wanted to be a sushi chef. He trained under the revered Chef Nogawa at the renowned Nogawa Japanese Restaurant in the 80s and eventually led as its head chef. Throughout his 23 years at Nogawa he served many high profile guests, including our late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. 

Hospitality is at the heart of his craft. Chef Ho believes that great sushi chefs do not just deliver quality food but also outstanding hospitality. This has influenced the way he runs his sushi bar. At Shinzo, the seating layout is designed to facilitate interaction between the chefs and guests, as well as encourage conversation between strangers.

“People often come to Shinzo as strangers but leave as friends. They share sake and have a good time together.”

Chef Ho takes great pride in making sure he maintains an intimate setting in his sushi bar. He wants every seat in the house to be the best so that guests have a full view of their personal chefs working on their creations. Chef Ho believes that this is one of the highlights of the Shinzo experience. He is a perfectionist who is known for shaping the culture of Japanese cuisine in Singapore.

“I put my heart and soul into every sushi I make. I do it because it is my life’s passion.”

At Shinzo, one can expect nothing less than the freshest ingredients flown in directly from Japan. Just as the ingredients vary with the seasons in Japan, so does Shinzo’s menu. Chef Ho constantly pushes the envelope of culinary creativity and teases his guests’ palates with new flavors every time.

Guests at Shinzo can always rely on Chef Ho to deliver gourmet sushi and warm hospitality. Here's what some of them had to say.